How To Get Trainers White Again

There is a huge difference between just cleaning your white trainers and getting them back to their glowing white vibrance from when you first bought them in the shop.  Below are some good ideas on how you may want to approach getting your trainers to their best white.

What trainer cleaning equipment will you need?

  1. Clean, damp cloth to clean your trainers

  2. Another clean cloth to wipe off excess dirt and moisture

  3. Adidas Foam Cleaner

  4. Kiwi Whitener

Once you have the equipment you need, follow these steps:

  1. Follow our guide on cleaning white trainers

  2. Getting leather trainers white again

  3. Getting canvas trainers white again

1. Follow our guide on cleaning white trainers

We wrote a comprehensive guide on how to clean white trainers which you can access here.

2. Getting leather trainers white again and how to clean them

There are some simple things you can try to get your white leather trainers looking their best again.

Firstly, you need to clean off any excess dirt and then try the following methods (one at a time and probably a few days in between test so that you do not ruin your trainers.)

  • Try cleaning your white trainers with a toothbrush and a small bit of toothpaste.

    • This has been tested and seems to work on white leather trainers.

  • You can use white nail polish to cover up scratches which you can rub in gently with a white cloth.

  • Use the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser where you dampen your trainers slightly and use the sponge to remove stains and dirt. Leather can get water damaged so you will need to ensure you dry the trainers properly.

  • Use a 1 part  toothpaste, 1 part baking soda, 1 part water mixture and scrub them with a toothbrush. Dry afterwards and leave to air dry.

  • Try some ivory soap with a wet cloth, wipe the trainers and dry afterwards with a dry cloth.

  • Use 1 part vinegar and 1 part olive oil, spray on the show and gently clean with a damp cloth.

  • Make sure you soak your shoelaces in detergent or stick them in the washing machine.

3. Getting canvas trainers white again 

Again, you should try these one at a time and days apart so you do not ruin your trainers.

  • Mix one part baking soda with two parts vinegar and some water.  Dip a toothbrush into the solution and gently scrub your trainers.  Wipe off with a damp cloth afterwards.

  • Use some white toothpaste and a toothbrush and gently scrub your shoes and wipe off with a damp cloth.

  • Use water, baking soda and a small bit of detergent and a toothbrush to scrub your shoes.

  • It is possible to put your trainers in the washing machine but you should follow our guide on how to wash trainers in the washing machine.

Most common reasons white trainers get dirty and worn

  1. You aren’t using protective spray

  2. You are not wiping them down when you wear them in bad weather

  3. You are not cleaning them regularly

  4. You are wearing them in the rain

Most common questions when washing trainers in the washing machine

  1. How do I clean trainers with mesh? 

    1. You can use the methods above to do this but be more careful with how hard you scrub the surface.

  1. Can you clean trainers in the washing machine?

    1. Yes you can, follow our guide here.

  1. How do you bleach trainers?

    1. We would recommend this as a last resort. If you still want to try this however, please use a high water to bleach ratio so that you do not ruin your trainers.

Summary

Getting your trainers white again does take more effort than just cleaning them. There are various mixtures and concoctions you can use to achieve this. You should take care about how frequently you do this and how far apart your tests are with the different approaches. We would recommend at least a few days between trying different processes on getting your trainers back to white.